RSS to introduce its own Nobel awards 'Naimishya Samman' after cultural ministry's nod

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's cultural unit – Sanskar Bharti – will now introduce its own 'Nobel awards' in the fields of Peace, Human Rights, Literature, Visual and Performing Arts, Science, Education, and others after the Union Culture Ministry gave its go-ahead on Tuesday. Sources in the ministry told IANS that the ministry has approved to institute 'Naimishya Samman'.

The first edition of awards on the lines of Nobel will be given in 'Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsava', likely to be held in Varanasi in November. The awards will be presented annually.

A file image of RSS cadres during a Dussehra rally. PTI

The jury would comprise of prominent Indian and international figures from diverse fields.

According to the sources, the budget for the Sanskriti Mahotsav has been set at Rs 220 crore, out of which around Rs 70 crore have been kept for the awards and the rest for the event.

According to The Indian Express, about eleven "international awards" and the 'Naimishya Samman' will be conferred on the people working in various fields. The Naimisheya Samman would be "comparable to any other global award in authority and prize money", Sanskar Bharti said.

The newspaper quoted an RSS pracharak as saying, "There are enough people with nationalistic thoughts who are taking the lead in creative and academic fields. However, the Congress rule of 60 years has pushed nationalism on the margins. An atmosphere of nationalism has recently been created in the country, Indian thoughts have gained prominence on the global stage. The Naimisheya will be a platform to celebrate the richness of Indian thoughts."

The Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsava, the brainchild of the RSS, is an initiative of the Ministry of Culture and was conceived in the year 2015 with an intent to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the country in all its rich and varied dimensions, viz. handicrafts, cuisine, painting, sculpture, photography, documentation and performing arts – folk, tribal, classical and contemporary.

DNA quoted theatre and cultural coordinator for Sanskar Bharti, Shailesh Shrivastava, as saying: "The idea was proposed to the Ministry of Culture by us. We thought that Indians working in the field of arts, culture and literature should also get their due. Why should the great Indian writers wait to win a Nobel Prize, we should honour them with our own award that is equally respectable."